Oral Answers to Questions

Ruth Edwards Excerpts

Thursday 21st April 2022 Commons Chamber

[Anne-Marie Trevelyan]

The Baltimore dialogues—the first of our trade dialogues, held just a few weeks ago—was exactly that: a gathering together of voices from across businesses, industry councils and trade union groups from both sides of the Atlantic. It was an incredibly constructive discussion. We were pleased, obviously, that our voices were there, as they always are at all our tables. It was interesting that the US was really pleased to be bringing its trade union voices to the table with industry for the first time. It was a very positive discussion, which embedded clearly how everybody will be at the table as we move forward together.

[Ruth Edwards (Rushcliffe) (Con)]

T9. The global surge in energy prices has highlighted the importance of securing both inward investment in green energy generation in the UK and related trading partnerships. Will my hon. Friend set out what the Government are doing to accelerate both those things?

[Mr Jayawardena]

We are driving unprecedented investment in green industries, with the British energy security strategy announcing further cuts to the red tape that hampers growth in some of these sectors. My noble Friend Lord Grimstone is leading our new Office for Investment, and I am delighted that our friends across the Gulf are as keen as we are to back innovation in this area. For instance, £100 million has flowed in from Qatar to support small modular reactors and net zero technology.